Two holes are better than one!

[ApexPredator]

I'm really not trying to poke a hornets nest here, but am looking for bullet characteristics that increase my chances of providing an exit hole in deer/hogs at short (<75 yd) range. I have lots of bowhunting, muzzleloader, and handgun hunting experience. I've killed many truckloads of deer and hogs with a .44 mag. My experience has been that a softpoint exceeds the penetration of any hollow point at the same velocity. My bowhunting experiences have reinforced my personal goals of two holes in game. Where I hunt it can be extremely thick, and without a blood trail, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to recover game. I'm about to purchase my first big bore airgun, and all consideration is being applied to my choices. I've ruled out .357 because I don't think airgun velocities will provide reliable exit holes with available bullets. I'm leaning towards the Airforce Texan Carbine in .457, or the Seneca Dragon Claw .50 (to be power tuned in the near future). I love hollow points for many applications, but think a heavy (330-440g) flat nose, with as wide of a meplat as possible, will be the best bullet for assuring an exit hole on a broadside double lung shot. Please feel free to comment, but really looking for first hand experiences. Thanks! 

 

[JamesD.]

If you are interested in casting yourself, and for short 75 yard hogs, you might consider a harder lead. 

I'm not sure what hardness of lead can be swaged but you can definitely get penetration from a harder slug. 
Being a archer and counting on a pellet/slug with no real hydrostatic power I believe everything is about shot placement of surgical precision when looking for a quick kill with an airgun.

Just my thoughts. Hoping to hear others myself. 

 

[nervoustrig]

All other things being equal, a dome will yield the greatest penetration. Just bear in mind that maximizing penetration by definition means minimizing tissue damage…less of the projectile’s energy is being dissipated as it travels through flesh and bone. It’s zipping through precisely because it isn’t interacting with tissue as savagely, for lack of a better term. The most effective projectile for your scenario is the one that blends these competing qualities in a manner that dissipates most of its energy but has enough remaining to make it all the way through.

That may indeed be a solid with a large meplat. Or not, depending on the circumstances 

 

[GLPalinkas]

Jason, I had to look up meplat. LOL For those who also are ignorant of the term, it's the technical term for the flat or open tip on the nose of a bullet. 

As always, you rock.

 

[ApexPredator]

Energy in ft/lbs, in my opinion, is vastly over rated in airguns. I've killed tons (literally) of medium game with 25-30 ft/lb. Folks claim to knock them off their feet with 600 ft/lbs, yet I've never seen that happen with 3000 ft/lbs, unless with a central nervous system hit, which would have been similar with 40 ft/lbs. Head shots are not my forte, since the target is small and subject to move at any time before your slug arrives!

 

[GeronimoKY]

Don’t rule out .357 for deer. I’ve taken many does and two bucks with .357 in the past few years. I’m sure you know the blood coming from the mouths will tell you they died quickly. The big one died standing in the same spot I shot him within 30 seconds and the smaller ran about twenty yards and collapsed into a tree. 

 

[ApexPredator]

Blood from the mouth and nose is indicative of a lung hit, which I strive for. A .357 will certainly kill a deer, but they can cover several hundred yards in 30 seconds. I'm glad yours didn't!

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

I too feel that two holes are better than one in big game, especially given airgun power and velocities. Well placed shots and two bleeding holes rule here so they bleed out and don't run into the next county from a single lung penetrating shot. I have tested a few different styles in .357 with respect to swaged speer shaped hollow points and cast large meplat and deep hollow points, shooting into ballistics gel at the lower power (simulating the velocity at the end of my effective shooting distance). The speer type bullets obviously outperformed the large meplat cast bullets as far as penetration goes, and the cast opened up like a flying ashtray. Because of the energy dump the cast bullet didn't look like they would exit the hide. I also liked the long range accuracy and down range BC of the speer shaped bullet.

 

[Cheplicki]

if u got the power round ball with pass right through most off the time.... sure its not the coolest ammo but its been dropping deer longer then any other bullet

 

[LostinTejas]

You are on the right track. The large meplat will offer more damage and crush potential. It should penetrate both sides without problems. You might try these, 

https://nielsenspecialtyammo.com/collections/45-cal/products/348-gr-hp-bt-knurl-45-cal

I can't find the video off hand, but they got 18+ inch penetration and substantial expansion in 10% gel. Not shabby at 50 yards. Why he did it at 50 is beyond me, but he did. Sounded like he hit the gel with a boat oar. LOL

Think pistol or bow damage. People here an other places harp energy, and while it moves things, drives them and breaks them, it isn't the end all that they seem to think, and the velocity isn't enough to get the temp cavity into a permanent damage cavity. If you bow hunt, or black powder, then you know what to expect from an air rifle.

Good luck.

 

[LostinTejas]

Found it. 18ish for the 348 grain, 60 yards?, and clear gel. Not optimal, but better than most folks do. It is a pain to make proper gel and do it right so no judging.

https://www.airgun101.com/index.php/component/allvideoshare/video/airgun-ballistic-gel-test-348-gr-281-gr-hp-bt-knurl-nielsen-specialty-ammo?Itemid=529

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

I build my bow hunting arrows fairly heavy, as you know momentum is your friend upon penetration. The same holds true with airgun projectiles when penetration is desired for bigger game. Heavy slugs rule here. Unless shooting birds and small game with high velocity hollow point slugs, I don't feel that an "energy dump" is necessarily practical. On medium to large game the airgun does not work as effectively as a powder burner does in this regard either. For example, lot of strait walled cartidges dump energy welll but leave the bullet in the offside shoulder or under the skin of deer a lot of times. Therefore, the hollow point at airgun velocities opening up to a"flying ashtray" looks good in gel, but may not "go the distance" in the end.

I like the speer shaped, small meplat of the NSA 357 HP-BT 142 grain swaged slug as it gives good penetration and retains it's momentum because it doesn't turn itself inside out and is super accurate. These can be had in a .45 caliber 350 grain slug as well. Now, if it would expand like it does and produce three or four petals that cut as they go through (instead of just mushrooming and ballooning tissue out if the way as it travels), and also completely passes through with it's momentum, then it would be the the perfect projectile for deer and hogs.

For reference in regards to the difference in grain weight and penetration, here is some .357 in HP-FB 120 grain, and speer shaped HP-BT 142 grain. All testing was done at around 800 fps, which was what my ballistics show my speed is at 200 yards.